Obituaries

Roger Howard Driver

Roger Howard Driver

Jun 30, 2025

Roger Howard Driver was born June 2, 1963 in Pensacola, FL to Howard and Martha Driver. He passed away on June 30, 2025 at age 62. Roger spent his lifetime in the panhandle of Florida, graduating from J.M. Tate High School in Cantonment and later moving to DeFuniak Springs.

Roger was a lifelong early riser, and he enjoyed taking advantage of...

Bobbie Jewel Strouse

Bobbie Jewel Strouse

Jun 21, 2025

Bobbie Jewel Strouse passed away on June 21, 2025. She was 84 years old.

Bobbie was born April 10, 1941, in Brewton, AL to Austin Pittman and Lizzie Mae Howard.

Returning to the area after her husband was stationed in Hawaii, Bobbie took a job frying chicken at the Piggly Wiggly in Crestview and later transitioned to the phone company where she...

Benjamin Gordon Watts

Benjamin Gordon Watts

Jun 20, 2025

Benjamin Gordon Watts passed away peacefully on Friday, June 20, 2025, in DeFuniak Springs, Florida. He was born on July 30, 1947, and his parents were George W. Watts, Jr. and Nelrea Taylor Watts of Chipley, Florida.

Ben graduated from Chipley High School in 1965. He received an appointment to the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York, graduated...

William Seth Fountain "Bill"

William Seth Fountain "Bill"

Jun 13, 2025

William Seth (Bill) Fountain, Sr, a beloved resident of Walton County, Florida, was surrounded by his loving family when he passed away June 13, 2025. Born on September 5, 1939, to MT Fountain and Amelia B Fountain, Bill spent his life in Walton County and lived a life that proudly exemplified his love for the area he called home. Demonstrated...

Martha Ann Pope

Martha Ann Pope

Jun 7, 2025

Martha Ann Tucker Pope passed away on June 7, 2025 in DeFuniak Springs, Florida at the age of 96. She was born January 24, 1929 in Elba, Alabama to parents John Lawson Tucker and Connie Pearl Seymore and spent many years growing up in Paxton. Martha married Glenn Pope in February 1947, when they were 18 years old and they...

Katherine Bacon Schaefer

Katherine Bacon Schaefer

Jun 2, 2025

Katherine Bacon Schaefer, 56, passed away June 2, 2025. Born on May 9, 1969 in Greenville, S.C. to Richard Dean Bacon and Margaret (Peggy) Joyce Duty, Kathy was a lifelong resident of DeFuniak Springs, Fla. and was a graduate of the Walton High School Class of 1987.

Kathy devotedly served Walton County through many years of employment. After several years working...

Peter Lee Bello

Peter Lee Bello

Jun 2, 2025

Peter Lee Bello was born June 7, 1954 in California to parents Arthur and Ann Hart Bello. He passed away of natural causes on June 2, 2025 in Rossville, Georgia. He spent many years calling Navarre, Florida home, and he was a member of the Fort Walton Yacht Club and attended Gulf Breeze United Methodist Church.

Peter had many events in...

Grace Holt Harris

Grace Holt Harris

May 31, 2025

Grace Eleanore Holt was born to David Humphrey and Audrey Marie Simon Holt on November 16, 1942, in Ashland, Wisconsin. She passed away on May 31, 2025 in Crestview, Florida. Grace lived in Nevada, Wyoming, Colorado, New Mexico, Wisconsin, and Alabama before calling Florida home.

Grace attended college at the University of Wisconsin in Madison and studied Speech Pathology. She started...

Betty Jean Johnson

Betty Jean Johnson

May 29, 2025

Betty Jean Johnson, 89, of Westville FL, passed away peacefully surrounded by family at home on May 29th at 4:20pm. She was the former wife of William Joe Johnson of Orlando, FL.

Born in Gainesville, GA, she was the daughter of Henry Edgar Garrett and Mary Elizabeth Garrett (Williams). She worked alongside her husband’s family businesses for 10 years before relocating...

Judith Ann Chilcutt

Judith Ann Chilcutt

May 20, 2025

Judith Ann Beliech Chilcutt, 81, of DeFuniak Springs, FL and San Antonio, TX died peacefully at her residence in Florida on May 20, 2025. She was born July 15, 1943, in Pensacola, Florida to Thomas Clifford (Cliff) Beliech and Mamie Lee (Alexander) Beliech.

Affectionately known as Judy, she was raised in Pensacola where she met and married Charles (Buddy) Lee Houdashelt....

Malcolm "Skip" Young

Malcolm "Skip" Young

May 17, 2025

Malcolm Young, Jr, better known as Skip, passed away on Saturday, May 17, 2025. He was born in Birmingham, Alabama on September 2, 1958, to parents Malcolm Young, Sr and Bonnie Lee Powell.

Skip worked in construction for all of his years. In his free time, he was always up for adventure, and he most thoroughly enjoyed camping and cave diving....

Carlos Berardo Robaina

Carlos Berardo Robaina

May 14, 2025

Carlos Berardo Robaina passed away on May 14, 2025 at the age of 63. Born in Santiago de Cuba, Cuba on February 5, 1962 to Carlos Eduardo Robaina Perez and Vilma Robaina (Née Sanchez Gonzalez), he emigrated to the United States as a child with his parents and two younger siblings on April 22, 1969. Carlos was raised in New...

Daisy Winona McLendon

Daisy Winona McLendon

Apr 1, 2025

Daisy Winona McLendon was born October 19, 1934 in Knox Hill and she entered into eternity at her home in DeFuniak Springs on April 1, 2025. Winona lived her life in the panhandle of Florida, living in the tight-knit communities of Knox Hill, Highland View, Port St Joe, and DeFuniak Springs. Winona was a dedicated employee of Professional Products for...

Hansel Geoghagan

Hansel Geoghagan

Mar 30, 2025

Jimmie Hansel Geoghagan, a man of unshakable strength and unwavering love, passed away at the age of 91 on March 30, 2025, walking peacefully into the arms of his Savior. Hansel was a devoted husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, and cherished friend whose life was a testament to his kindness, tenacity, and enduring sense of humor.

Born on August 1, 1933, in...

Kenneth Wayne Revell

Kenneth Wayne Revell

Mar 23, 2025

It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Kenneth Wayne Revell, a beloved husband, father, and friend, who passed away peacefully on March 23, 2025, in his home in Santa Rosa Beach, FL, at the age of 67. He was born on August 18, 1957 in Albany, Georgia.

He was a devoted husband to his wife, Tasha Revell,...

Mirta Abu-Gharbiya

Mirta Abu-Gharbiya

Mar 14, 2025

Mirta was born in Havana, Cuba, on June 21st, 1934. After attending college at the University of Havana, she immigrated to the United States in the late 1950s. She raised her family in Miami, Florida and then spent time in Los Angeles, California, before moving to Texas to live by her daughter and help raise her grandchildren. In recent years,...

Henning Juel Spilling, Jr

Henning Juel Spilling, Jr

Mar 13, 2025

It is with deep sadness that we announce the passing of Captain Henning Juel Spilling Jr., loved and cherished by all who knew him. Captain Henning, or simply “Captain”, passed peacefully on March 13, 2025 at the age of 76.

Henning was preceded in death by his loving wife, Leighlove Caylor Spilling, his daughter Katie Carter, grandson Henning J. Spilling IV,...

Richard "Dick" Lowery

Richard "Dick" Lowery

Mar 5, 2025

Richard “Dick” Lowery passed away on March 5, 2025 at the age of 84 years old with his loving wife Janette and daughters Wyndy Crozier and Kelly Lowery by his side. Born on August 8, 1940 in Clearwater, Florida to Michael Lee and Laura Mae Lowery, Dick had been a resident of Darlington for the last twenty-five years. Prior to...

Ailany Itzae Benitez

Ailany Itzae Benitez

Mar 1, 2025

Precious Ailany Itzae Benitez made a big impact during her short time here with us. She was born in Pensacola, Florida on September 23, 2024 to parents Mireya Palacios and Rogelio Benitez and entered into eternity on March 1, 2025.

Ailany brought incredible joy to her parents and siblings. She was absolutely adorable each moment of each and every day. Looking...

Mary Alice Brown

Mary Alice Brown

Feb 16, 2025

On Sunday, February 16, 2025, Mary Alice Dickey Brown peacefully passed away at home in Freeport, Florida after a long and courageous battle with illness. Born to Manuel and Elmer Dickey on November 3, 1933, in Freeport, she spent her entire life in the place she cherished. Mary Alice attended Freeport Elementary and Walton schools and was a lifelong member...